by ID Johnson
Cinder raised an eyebrow. “You want to go back to being a teacher?”
Ru nodded. “I loved being a teacher. This seems like… work. Like something I have to do. I have made a lot of great friends. And I found out where I come from. Meeting my parents has made it completely worth it.” Ru paused for a moment, choosing her next words carefully. “Meeting your brother has made it completely worth it.” Cinder’s smile grew, and Ru thought she must’ve heard she and Cutter were an item now. “But if I could take all of those things and go back to teaching fourth grade at Thomas Elementary in Reaper’s Hollow, I would do it in a heartbeat.”
Shaking her head, Cinder said, “Well, my friend, I doubt that will happen. You’re too powerful for them to just let you go. But who knows. Lately, the people in charge have been making some pretty strange decisions.”
Ru assumed she was talking about letting her mom go and not punishing Ru for standing up to Sky or turning her father into a human. “That’s okay,” Ru shrugged. “Maybe they just needed to see things from a fresh perspective.” She was certain her point of view was completely different than some of the angels and Keepers who had been doing this forever.
“Maybe.” Cinder still looked dumbfounded, as if she couldn’t believe what Ru had gotten away with. “Well, I just wanted to stop by and apologize.”
“Thank you,” Ru said. “I accept your apology, and I’m sorry I was so rude the last time we spoke.”
Laughing, Cinder said, “That conversation wasn’t one sided. I may be assigned to help out in Japan. If so, I’ll see you there. If not, I’m sure I’ll bump into you again at some point. Maybe over the holidays.”
Thoughts of sitting around a Christmas tree with Cutter and his family filled Ru’s mind for a moment. Would her own parents be there as well? She shook the thought free. Clearly, Cinder was ready to go. “Okay. Thank you for taking the time to come speak to me. I feel a lot better about things now.”
“Me, too,” Cinder agreed. She reached out a see-through hand and rested it on Ru’s shoulder. “Take care.” As Ru nodded, Cinder slowly faded away.
Ru’s hand immediately covered the place on her shoulder where Cinder had touched her. It seemed so strange that someone with no body could actually leave a warmth on her skin. She shook her head yet again in disbelief thinking she’d never understand all of this.
Leaf’s bed looked welcoming, especially after that conversation. She kicked her shoes off and sprawled out on top of the comforter thinking she didn’t want to mess the room up too much. Laying there with her eyes closed, she tried to push all of the events of the day away, but they just kept springing back. Images of demons she hoped she’d never face, her father’s smile, Cinder’s apology. It really was all too much.
Even though she was chilly with no blanket over her, eventually she started to doze off, though she was having a hard time getting comfortable and wished she would’ve crawled between the sheets. Just when she was about to get up and pull the comforter down, a sensation of warmth covered her and she felt strong arms surround her. The scent of him was enough to let her know she was more than safe; she was where she belonged, and Ru snuggled into Cutter’s embrace and flittered off to sleep.
Chapter 14
The front of Nana Sue’s house was illuminated only by the lamp in the living room when Cutter pulled his mom’s car to a stop out front that evening. After a nice dinner and a game of Gin Rummy, which Ru had never played before, he volunteered to give her a ride home. The snow was lightly falling but it wasn’t too deep. Knowing she’d see him the next day, Ru didn’t make a huge production about telling him goodbye before she slipped out of the car and hurried up to the front porch, even though every time they parted now, it seemed like she was leaving a small part of herself behind.
Warmth radiated from the fireplace as Ru stepped inside. Nana sat knitting in her chair. Looking up, she smiled. “Oh, good. You’re home. I was beginning to wonder. How is the Michaels family?”
Piper rubbed up against Ru’s leg, and once she’d struggled out of her coat, she bent to rub her head. “They’re good,” she replied. “Windy made pot roast for dinner, so I decided to stay.” The aroma of the delicious dish still wafted through her mind as she mentioned it. “Where’s Mom?”
“I’m in here, honey!” Maggie called from the kitchen, which was a straight shot through the living room to the back of the house. “I’ll be right in. Just popping some cookies in the oven.”
Ru couldn’t help but giggle. It seemed there was a lot of baking going on in this house. She hung her coat by the door and wandered into the kitchen to see her mom closing the oven door. At least two dozen other chocolate chip cookies covered the table on cooling racks. “Are we having company?” Ru asked, amused.
“No, I thought I’d take some over to Ribbon’s family tomorrow. Her little girls love sweets, and baking helps… clear my mind.” Maggie took the oven mitts off and set them on the counter near the stove. “How was your day dear? Would you like a cookie?”
Despite having devoured a large slice of apple pie after dinner, the cookies smelled wonderful, and Ru couldn’t resist. “Maybe just one.” She thought about shouting to her grandmother if it was okay if she poured a glass of milk, but then she realized this was her home, too, at least temporarily, and Nana Sue had already told her at least a dozen times that what was hers was Ru’s. She grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and crossed to the refrigerator, filling it about three-fourths of the way to the top with the whole milk her grandmother insisted on buying. It did taste a lot better than the skim Ru usually used.
Maggie handed her a plate with two extra-large cookies on it and smiled. Ru almost mentioned she’d only wanted one, but this was her mother’s way of spoiling her, and in Maggie’s mind, there was a lot of spoiling to make up for. “My day was good. I need to talk to you and Nana about something.” Ru bit into the cookie and warm chocolate spread throughout her mouth. “These are so good,” she managed around the bite.
“Thank you,” Maggie said, though there was something behind her eyes that made Ru know she was a little worried. “It’s Nana’s recipe.”
Ru nodded and lost herself in the rest of the first cookie before she said more, only pausing to wash down the chewy goodness with a few swallows of milk. “Did you go to Ribbon’s house today?” Ru knew her mother had been visiting quite often. It must be difficult to be alone with Nana all day when they’d had such differences the last time Maggie lived here. Every once in a while, Nana would call her Sera, which would immediately be corrected. Most of the time, Nana just referred to her to Ru as “your mom” which solved the issue.
“I did. Her husband is away right now on a mission. I think he’s in Australia or New Zealand. So, it’s just her and her two little girls. Satin is six and Velvet is almost eleven. Such pretty girls, just like their mom.”
Holding back her comment about the unusual names, Ru remembered their mom’s name was Ribbon, after all, and she was one to talk. “Everyone here is pretty.” Ru had to force the last half of the second cookie down as she was not only stuffed but starting to feel the effects of so much sugar. She washed it down with the rest of her milk. “I’m glad you have such a good friend to spend your time with.”
Maggie smiled. “Me, too.” There was a longing in her gaze, like something, or someone was missing. It was always there, but more prominent at some points than others, like now.
“Well, why don’t we go into the living room and I’ll tell you and Nana about my day?”
Maggie nodded, and Ru rinsed her dishes off in the sink quickly before slipping them into the dishwasher. She dried her hands on a towel and followed her mom into the other room. Maggie found a seat on the sofa, and Ru dropped into a chair across from Nana closer to the fire. While her grandmother glanced up and smiled, she didn’t say anything, which gave Ru a moment to collect her thoughts.
She’d spent most of the afternoon and evening trying to figure out what to say to two wom
en who would have very different reactions to learning about what she’d done. The idea of telling them separately had crossed her mind, but this seemed like the easier route. Cutter had offered to come with her, but this was something she decided she needed to do on he own since it was strictly a family matter at this point. Raphael had already approved of her actions, so no other Keepers should be upset. Still, she had a feeling that wouldn’t stop Nana from reacting with frustration and sadness.
“So… today I was working on demonology with Windy, trying to learn who I might have to face at the next portal, and something unusual happened.” She waited a moment to make sure they were both listening. Nana’s knitting went to her lap and her forehead puckered. Her mom’s expression became even more guarded. “A giant black crow came and perched outside of her dining room window.”
Immediately, Maggie’s countenance changed. “A black crow?”
“Yes.”
“And it squawked at you until you went outside?”
“Yes.”
A smile spread across Maggie’s face, but Nana only looked confused. “What did it want?” she asked, as if birds could speak and delivered messages frequently. But then, for all Ru knew, maybe they did.
She took a deep breath. “We followed it—Cutter and I—out of town, up the hills, into the mountains. And it led us to… Larkin.”
Her mother giggled in glee, while Nana’s face somehow managed to become even paler. “Larkin?” the eldest family member asked sharply. “Well, I should hope you turned and went the other direction.”
“Mom—” Maggie began, but Ru raised a hand to stop her.
“Nana, he’s my father. And I absolutely know how you feel about him. Honestly, I don’t blame you. But I’d already spoken to him once, in Turkey, and Mom and I had decided on what to do if I came face-to-face with him. So, I had a plan. He wasn’t hostile at all, Nana. He was nice and apologetic. He said he should’ve done what Mom wanted him to do a long time ago.”
“And what’s that? I’d say for him to run off into the countryside and never look back, but that’s definitely not something your mother would’ve ever suggested. She gave Maggie a sharp look, and Ru could tell her mom was biting her tongue, which was a good thing. Having the two of them start arguing right away would get her off course.
“No, Nana. We decided, if Larkin was willing, I would change him into a man—a full human. Take out his Reaper essence and… dispose of it.”
Nana’s mouth hung open. “Take it away and dispose of it? Now just how in the world were you going to do that?”
“White magic,” Ru whispered.
“What?” Nana nearly came out of her chair. She turned to face her daughter. “You taught my granddaughter to use that same hocus pocus nonsense that got you into this trouble in the first place? Seraphina! So, help me….”
“Wait—Nana! It’s okay!” Ru interrupted as Nana scooted to the edge of her seat like she would rise up and punch Maggie in the mouth. “It’s okay! I’ve already spoken to Raphael about it, and he is glad I did it.” She knew she was getting ahead of herself, but she saw no other way to even remotely calm her grandmother. Perhaps she should’ve opened with the comment that everything she was about to disclose was Archangel approved.
“You spoke to Raphael?” Nana asked.
At the same time, Maggie said, “Does that mean you did it?”
Ru looked from one matron to the other. Both answers were the same. “Yes.”
Maggie let out a sob and covered her mouth, while Nana’s eyes continued to bulge. ”Well, I never…” she muttered under her breath.
With a deep inhale, Ru decided to get as much out as she could while they were still in stunned silence. “I did the incantation, as I was told, but Cutter wouldn’t let me absorb the Reaper essence. He sent it to Hell. I didn’t know that would work, but it seemed to because it disappeared.” Turning to her mother, she said, “I put the white cloaking spell on him, too, to protect him from Reapers. He said he needed to get his head together, but he’d let me know when he was ready. I think he was hesitant to see you, afraid you might be angry at him, even though I tried to let him know that you weren’t.” Turning back to a fuming Nana, she said, “When I got back to Cutter’s house, Raphael was there.” She didn’t mention she assumed he was God. “He told me that he approved of everything I’ve done, but he said that I had to do two more things.” Turning back to her mom, who had tears rolling down her cheeks, she said, “Before Raphael will allow the two of you to be together, he wants me to close the remaining portal, and….” A lump formed in her throat, and Ru was having trouble finishing the sentence. Eventually, with her mother’s wide eyes beckoning her on, she managed, “And destroy Thanatos.”
The room was quiet for a moment, and Ru was certain the other two women were pondering why it was so difficult for her to complete the thought. “Oh, Ru,” Maggie finally said, her tears beginning to dry up. “I know you can close the portal, but killing Nat is going to be hard for you, isn’t it?”
Ru nodded, hoping to keep her own tears inside of her eyes where they belonged. Nat certainly wouldn’t cry over killing her. At least not in front of anyone else.
“I don’t understand,” Nana finally said. “He’s a Reaper. An awful one. Why would you have a problem destroying him?”
“It’s complicated, Nana,” Ru said. She knew both women had some inkling that there was more to their relationship than mere enemies after Ru’d awoken from her last visit with Nat in front of them, but she couldn’t even explain what it was, let alone expect them to understand. Her mother must’ve gotten a sense already that there was something there between them, but Nana didn’t seem to get it. Ru couldn’t put words to what it was. She certainly didn’t have romantic feelings for Thanatos. And he wasn’t her friend. But, nevertheless, she couldn’t think of him as only her enemy. The idea that she would be forced to destroy him had her insides churning again.
“Well, darling, I’m sure you’ll do the right thing,” Maggie said, leaning forward with her elbows buried in her lap. “Whatever you decide that might be.”
Ru rubbed her eyes with her hands. “Mom, I want you and Dad to be together more than anything. I will definitely close the portal. I just… I don’t know how I’m going to handle the second part of his orders.”
“I know, honey,” Maggie said, reaching over and patting her daughter on the arm. “It’ll be okay.”
“Will it?” Ru asked, looking from one of them to the other. “I know this doesn’t really change anything. I was supposed to be plotting his death this whole time.” She remembered Rider getting so angry at her for not nabbing Nat in the grocery store realm. “Maybe I didn’t really think about it too much before because I didn’t think I was strong enough to do it. But now… I know I am. And… I just can’t imagine what it would be like standing across from him with my power consuming him, sending him to Hell.”
Once again, a silence hung between them for several minutes before Maggie asked, “Have you spoken to Cutter about it?”
Ru nodded. “He said he’d help. And I don’t think Raphael cares who destroys Nat, so long as he’s out of the picture. I know Nat has done a lot of despicable things and been involved with the claiming of thousands of unmarked souls, either by taking them himself or sending out his minions to do it. But… like I said before, I still feel like he didn’t have a choice, that because he is Azrael’s son, he had to become what he is today. And… that’s not fair. Everyone should be allowed to choose their own destiny.”
“That’s life,” Nana said with a shrug, which was a similar sentiment to what she’d said before. “I know it sounds harsh, but it is what it is, dear. Some people are born into rich families and never have to worry about a thing. Some people are born in squalor and can’t even find suitable drinking water. It’s unfortunate, but that is the world we live in.”
“Why does it have to be?” Ru asked. “Just because we can’t save everyone, does that mean we shouldn
’t try to save anyone?”
“Of course not, child,” Nana admitted. “But the soul you’re talking about is so black, so far gone, there wouldn’t be anything left to save.”
Her grandmother’s words should’ve sounded true to her ear, but they didn’t. She disagreed. Even if the tears over the family who were killed by Deena Jones were fake, even if he wasn’t really interested in what Ira was building, and even if Kyle was all a hoax, for some reason, she still saw a flicker of light in Nat whenever she spoke to him, the possibility of goodness. She felt like she was spinning her wheels going over all of this again, so she decided to talk about something else. “Anyway, I know Raphael wouldn’t be happy if the two of you spent too much time with each other before I finish my assignments,” she said the last word as if she were back in school and neither task was more than something to check off of a list, “but I do think it would be okay for you to at least meet for a little while, if Dad lets me know where he’s at before I leave for Japan.”
Before Maggie could respond, Nana added her two cents worth. “Well, he’s not coming here.”
“Nana?” Ru was shocked. She knew her grandmother wouldn’t be happy, but the fact that Raphael had already approved made her think Nana would, too. “I don’t expect you to be overjoyed, but… he’s still my dad.”
“Rune, if you had any idea what that man put our family through….”
“No, Mom, it’s okay,” Maggie spoke up. “I understand. I won’t bring him here. If I can see him, we’ll… find another place.”
Ru could hardly believe her ears. Tears began to sting the back of her eyes. “Listen,” she said, leaning forward in her chair. “This is the first chance at having a real family I’ve ever had. And I know that both of you have been through a lot because of Mom’s love for Larkin. I know that hurt you, Nana. And I’m so sorry for both of you for everything you’ve been through. But let’s not forget, if Mom hadn’t followed her heart, I wouldn’t be here. You don’t have to like my dad, Nana. You don’t have to welcome him into your home and bake him cookies. But you do have to let this be okay with you, because if the two of you start fighting again, if you refuse to see Mom because of Dad, if you can’t accept him, then… then….”